Who's catless? (main cat)

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

With ~124k miles on my '96 my main cat is shot (according to my CEL) This puts me into a bit of a dillema. I got a dual exaust from a SVT I am waiting to put on, but I don't know if it's worth it with the cat in it's current status. I can't get my local shop to touch the cat (no suprise there) and I don't have access to a welder. I was thinking about getting a sho-shop catless y-pipe but that seems like a bit of wasted money when I could just chop mine off and hacksaw some straight pipe in it's place. Plus I heard the SHO-shop pipe has some heat issues.

I was wondering those without the main cat, how did you get that way?

-Pete

My car hs no cats at all due to the sho-shop Y pipe and MSDS headers. I would suggest going to a muffler shop that you trust really well and tell them that you want a pipe made that will directly bolt into the piece where the cat is and tell them that it is for when you go to the track, because as far as I know they can do that for you as long as they are not the ones that are removing it. I was going to go with that method but the I decided to go with the Sho pipe.I haven't had any trouble with the Y pipe. Is there something that I need to worry about? I haven't heard of any issues.

I took it of myself with a hacksaw. clamped a peice in there temporarily, and took it to a shop to get welded up. I was ready with an excuse if he asked where my maincat was. I was going to tell him the cats are built into the exhasut manifolds (point to the precats) and the wasn't another cat. He never asked though. It wasn't a stock cat that I took out, it was the sho-shop one. Not sure if you can cut the stock one out and clamp a pipe in there. Never done it

Good Luck!

Why all the hassle most speed shops here in the UK sell cat replacment pipes off the shelf ready to bolt on for around £80 That is what mine cost.

O2's only check the health of the pre-cats - and gutting them wont make the cel go away.

--edit--

Sorry I always think V6, zetec O2 will check main cat, but again gutting it will not turn off the cel

Originally posted by ScottK:
O2's only check the health of the pre-cats - and gutting them wont make the cel go away.

--edit--

Sorry I always think V6, zetec O2 will check main cat, but again gutting it will not turn off the cel

I know it won't turn off the CEL but I figure if I have to look at the CEL I should at least get the extra 2-3hp from not having the cat at all.

-Pete

Originally posted by Pete D:

Originally posted by ScottK:
O2's only check the health of the pre-cats - and gutting them wont make the cel go away.

--edit--

Sorry I always think V6, zetec O2 will check main cat, but again gutting it will not turn off the cel

I know it won't turn off the CEL but I figure if I have to look at the CEL I should at least get the extra 2-3hp from not having the cat at all.

-Pete

You are losing power with the CEL on. I have the dynos to prove it as well. IIRC, I lost 13hp and 8lb/ft torque. Also, how do the O2 sensor check the secondary (underboy) CAT? My O2s aren't after it, but before it. They primarily measure after the main (exhaust manifolds) cats. I too have gutted my secondary CAT as it was so clogged, the car would start to stall. Once gutted, the car was able to exhale again and some power was freed up. I know that I am making all of the power I could as the shell of the CAT is causing unwanted turbulence with the exhaust.

from what several mechanics have told me, there is a CEL for "main cat inefeciancy" (sp)

No such thing... there is no O2 sensor behind the main cat to measure it's efficiency.

-Lance

My car is catless, I don't like cat. There is no kitten or the big fat cat, absolutely no cat.

My cel came on and the scanner said.. something like catalyst restricted.. so I got it cut off and a straight pipe put on.. had the cel light turned off and it has been awesome ever since.. sounds a hell of alot meaner also..

NO CATS NO CHECK ENIGNE LIGHT AND CAR RUNS SO MUCH BETTER AND LOUDER

Having '95 with OBDI OWNZ!

W3RD!

Although having the neato diagnostics with OBD-II would be cool.

-Lance

I'd like to be able to have a neat tool like that, but a multimeter would work for me.

so is it possible to take the y-pipe off with a set of ramps? or would I need a lift?

I wonder how long the bulb for the CEL is supposed to last. I have had the car for a tad over 3 years and the CEL has been on pretty much the entire time. Maybe I will be lucky and it will burn out.

Originally posted by AirKnight:
I'd like to be able to have a neat tool like that, but a multimeter would work for me.

Yeah because a multimeter can datalog in real time right.

You seem to be forgetting a few things here.

Originally posted by Pete D:
1. so is it possible to take the y-pipe off with a set of ramps? or would I need a lift?

2. I wonder how long the bulb for the CEL is supposed to last. I have had the car for a tad over 3 years and the CEL has been on pretty much the entire time. Maybe I will be lucky and it will burn out.

1. Yes. It's a very easy job. The hardest part is the rusty hardware!

2.

sheesh...

Originally posted by Pete D:
so is it possible to take the y-pipe off with a set of ramps? or would I need a lift?

I wonder how long the bulb for the CEL is supposed to last. I have had the car for a tad over 3 years and the CEL has been on pretty much the entire time. Maybe I will be lucky and it will burn out.

Do yourself a favor..take it thru the car wash prior and get an underbody wash. Drive home. Put car up on ramps or lifts. Spray the 7 bolts/nuts with a good break free (2 on each pre-cat...2 on the cat-back...and 1 hidden between the primary tubes connecting to the underbody). Wait till the next day. The front 2 on mine came right off. The rear 2...I snapped 1, removed the stud on the other (damn MI winters), and the other 3 came right off. Its a tight fit on the front primary with a heat shield next to the lower pulley (?), but some wiggling and such..it'll come right off. Don't forget the lower O2 sensor too.

ONce you cut out your original cat, how best to store it?
Would you seal the ends? ie throw it in a plastic bag
and store in a dry place or just toss it in a box?

ps: I was told once by someone that the removing the main
cat would add about 9 hp

i put mine in a plastic bag, and sealed it pretty well, and then put it in a box, in the garage.

o and yes, it does feel like a 10 hp difference but actuall number differ.